Everyone has to negotiate at one stage or another. These negotiations could be in the form of promotions, sales calls, hiring, and more. For companies, negotiations are in the form of contracts, business deals and cost management. The rule of thumb for most negotiations remains the same although the situation, process, and result may be different.

Negotiation: Basic Techniques

1. This is the most important aspect of any negotiation - never be unprepared. Understand the subject, your benefits and losses, and how the outcome will affect the organization.

2. To maintain an advantage, try to understand what the other party may tend to ask for or believe in. Get as much information as possible on their stance on the subject, what they are looking for and also what they are expecting from you in the offer. Understand the rationale behind their negotiation to get a better insight into their negotiation tactics.

3. Know the least you may need to settle for without incurring losses. You can also treat this as a yardstick to build up your negotiation tactics.

4. Show an openness, flexibility and willingness to talk about the negotiation.

5. Calmness and patience should be your armor. If you sense that you are losing control of yourself or the situation, take a break. Decisions made in anger are almost always wrong.

6. Be as clear as possible with your terms and conditions.

7. If you have the slightest instinct that someone is bluffing, insist on their providing the proof to support their claims.

8. Stressing the common goals is a good way of keeping the negotiations workable.

9. Listen attentively to understand better.

10. Concentrate on one particular issue at a time.

11. Do not consider negotiations as a win or lose proposition or that to win you have to take advantage of the other party. Remember negotiations are the basis of a long and, hopefully, fruitful relationship. Carrying over the animosity by cheating or taking advantage of each other will lead to failure in the long run.

12. If the offer seems even remotely acceptable to you, finalize the deal immediately. Do not give the other party a chance to ponder over things.

Contract Negotiations

Contract negotiation is an intrinsic part of any business arrangement. This is especially true with telecom, since telecom and telecom expense management is vital to business operations and is usually among the top five company expenditures. The bottom line of any successful business venture depends on good communications systems controlled by expert telecom expense management.

Unfortunately, small and medium size businesses frequently do not consider contract negotiation a part of telecommunications management. Often, various people such as the office manager or a systems engineer or the IT or HR department handle the communications. While they may be skilled professionals in their fields, their knowledge and experience in terms of telecom contract negotiation is quite limited. Too often, the need to acquire or operate through a telecom management network is never considered.

By adopting and implementing telecom contract negotiation and control techniques, an average company can save 10 to 30 percent of their annual telecom expense. A professional in telecom expense management carries certain requisites to the negotiating table that a non-telecom professional may not have. People experienced in telecom contract negotiation know that the rate is not the only variable and that, in fact, many more costs can lie hidden in the terms and conditions of the contract. A telecom consultant or auditor that deals regularly in contracts would know the telecom rate traps.

The best way to know your telecom network requirements is to perform a thorough circuit and services inventory of local and distant data and wireless devices that you have and whether they are being fully utilized. Break down your telecom expenses to the minutest detail and understand your trends and needs. Modifying, changing or stopping services should be an ongoing process.

Also consider the refunds and benefits (and loss) from reducing services. A telecom audit will help uncover refunds due to invoice errors, lower certain ongoing expenses, and reveal techniques to improve or optimize existing telecom networks. Getting this done with experienced telecom auditors will reap many great benefits.

The next task is to eliminate unused phone lines. On average, a company with a 100 employee workforce has plenty of phone lines and some of them may remain unused over a period of time while the company is still paying for their service. This alone can run into thousands of dollars annually. Negotiating a workable deal with the telephone company is the best solution for these problems. Having a few negotiating techniques up your sleeve might make the job easier but having an experienced telecom professional on your side will guarantee the best results possible.

Nermine Shaker is a Partner at The Sygnal Group, a telecom consulting firm that offers telecom expense management, telecom auditing and VoIP management to businesses of all sizes. Find out how to lower your telecom expenses at http://www.SygnalGroup.com or visit our blog at http://www.TelecomExpertise.com

[tags]Negotiation, Negotiation Techniques, Telecom Negotiation, Telecom Expense Management[/tags]

The other day we spoke about the fact that leaders should know when to negotiate and when not to negotiate. Sometimes negotiation is not just the right tactic. The question is when do you negotiate? I’d like to suggest six points that you should consider when you’re thinking of negotiating.

1. You negotiate when you share something in common. Negotiation demands at least an inkling of common ground. Sometimes there is no common ground at all. Without common ground, you don’t have a base and nothing much to talk about. First and foremost, you need to share something in common. This doesn’t mean that you share everything, but at least you have a beachhead.

2. You negotiate when you have the time to negotiate. Negotiation takes time, and you have to calculate if you are better off taking action without negotiation because time is against you. There are times when the delay that formal negotiations will create makes the process not worth it. Sometimes, the time invested in the negotiations may not be worth it.

3. You negotiate when it’s clear you don’t have the ability to get your own way. The truth is, and people don’t want to hear it, we negotiate when we realize we need the help of the other. We negotiate when we can’t have it totally our way. So it’s a certain realization that we need the other. This may sound Machiavellian, but it’s not. You negotiate when you need cooperation.

4. You negotiate when you have the ability to have it your way in the short-term, but having it your way in the short-term could have long-term consequences. Sometimes in the short-term, you feel you don’t need the cooperation or involvement of another party, but in the long-term, there are benefits to sustaining the long-term relationship. You realize that you don’t need their help in the short-term, but you do need their long-term cooperation.

5. You negotiate when you aspire to a long-term relationship. When the relationship is long-term, negotiation is critical to sustain that relationship. More often than not, we don’t negotiate in short-term relationships and if we do, the negotiation is highly focused. If we want to sustain a long-term relationship, you negotiate. The simple realization in international relationships is that these are long-term relationships, and we have no choice but to negotiate.

6. You negotiate when you could be wrong. Even if you have the capacity to go it alone, negotiations is a process where you check the appropriateness and quality of your ideas and positions. We sometimes forget that negotiation can reveal not only our agenda and position, but the agenda and position of other party. When we negotiate, we discover the strengths and flaw of our position. So, we gather more knowledge. When you think there’s a chance you could be wrong, you negotiate.

When do you negotiate? First, when you share some common ground. Second, when you have the time to negotiate. Third, when it’s clear you don’t have the ability to have it your way. Fourth, when you have the ability to have it your way, but having it your way could have long-term consequences. Fifth, when you aspire to a long-term relationship. And sixth, when there is a chance you may be wrong.

Samuel Bacharach is the Professor of Labor Management at Cornell University’s ILR School. He is the Director of ILR’s New York City-based Institute for Workplace Studies and the director of the New York City-based Master of Professional Studies. He writes about proactive leadership on his blog: http://bacharachblog.com

[tags]leaders negotiation tricks, leadership and negotiation, how to negotiate[/tags]

No matter how hard we may try, there’s just no way to avoid some difficult conversations. However, there are positive things you can say and do to help you handle them better.

Your first response may be to change the subject when faced with a difficult discussion. This won’t solve the problem or heal the hurt that caused the situation in the first place. It’s better to take a deep breath, gather your thoughts, and face the difficulty now rather than later.

Remember it’s not your job to fix the situation unless you were directly involved. People sometimes just need a friend to listen when they’re going through tough circumstances. They really don’t want you to fix things for them.

Being available to listen is sometimes the best way to show your friend that you care.

If the situation requires you to talk with someone going through difficulties, try to put yourself in the other person’s shoes. What would you want a friend to say to you if you were in that situation? In all likelihood, they would like to hear the same thing.

Here are some positive ways to handle difficult conversations:

1. Try to help them identify the problem they’re facing. Maybe they’re upset over something that’s not related to the perceived problem. Listen to your friend as they talk, trying to ask questions to help them determine the real problem.

2. Avoid acting like you know what will happen next. If your friend’s going through a difficult time in a relationship, don’t tell them everything will work out. Instead, tell them “I’m available to you whenever you want to talk.”

3. Ask general questions rather than expecting them to answer questions they may not be ready to answer. “How’s it going?” is a better question than asking them if they’ve moved out of their home after a breakup.

* Let them bring up additional topics when they feel comfortable doing so.

4. Refrain from judging others. Rather than saying you’ve never trusted a particular company when your friend has just lost a large sum of money, you might want to ask, “Is there anything I can do to help?” Most likely they’ll tell you no, but will appreciate your asking.

5. Your similar situation isn’t the same as theirs. While it may be true that you’ve lost a job or a pet, it’s not the same thing as losing a loved one.

* Try to encourage your friend to think about the good times rather than their loss.

6. Acknowledge your friend’s feelings. “I understand that you were hurt by what they said. I would be hurt, too” is better than telling your friend, “There’s no reason to be upset about that.” Acknowledge and validate their feelings, and they’ll feel better.

7. Think about what your friend needs most. It may be to have someone tell them “I love you.” Try to be alert to your friend’s unspoken needs. Be reassuring when possible regardless if your friend has spoken a need or not.

8. Let others know you understand their point of view. Telling someone, “This sounds important to you” doesn’t mean you’ll go along with what they want, but at least you acknowledge what they believe to be the best solution.

9. Stay focused on the problem and don’t get dragged into a fight. If they verbally attack, don’t take the bait. “I see you’re upset, and I’m sorry. Maybe we should take a few minutes for each of us to calm down.”

It’s important to remember that no matter what the difficult situation happens to be, it’s better to listen more than talk. When you do talk, use the positive statements you find here to help you handle the conversation in a supportive and caring way.

Maurice Castle first learned about Oneness & deeksha from the Oneness University in Fiji. Oneness helps improve your relationships in life - learn more at http://OnenessBlessingFiji.com

[tags]oneness university, oneness, deeksha[/tags]

Placing collection calls to patients with overdue accounts probably is not at the top of your favorite thing to do list. However, it is a reality that your practice is a for profit entity and therefore, cash flow is vital. I have listed a few helpful tips to not only make your collection calls more effective but hopefully more enjoyable for everyone.

Tip #1: Be prepared before you place your phone call.
Before making your next collection call, take some time to compile a list of possible excuses and good rebuttals. Create a collection agreement and develop your structured message. The message will allow you to remain in control of the conversation. It also prevents you from being at a loss for words if the patient tries to give you the run around. At the morning meeting you may need to alert your team that you will be unavailable during the time you are placing the calls. In our experience, if you have to place your patients on hold, you not only lose control of the call, but often times they simply hang up.

Tip #2: Patient Specific Preparation. Before making the call, be sure you have the specifics of the debt. What is the exact amount owed, terms, date the service was rendered, and, if you are accepting assignment what the status of the claim is. One of the better techniques for reducing your workload is to get your patients to research their claims with their insurance companies.

It also helps if you know the patients history with your practice. What is their payment record? If they have always paid on time, maybe the statement was never received, or there is a dispute involved. If payments have been getting slower month by month, it is possible that they have a cash flow problem. Remember, if they are having a family hardship then you want to position yourself to be their advocate. You can be firm, and still empathetic and fair.

Tip #3: Check your attitude at the door. Your attitude has a strong impact on how you handle the patient and how they respond to you. If you were irritated on a prior call, and you carry that anger into the next one, the patient is bound to pick up on this and mirror back to you the same level of irritation. Before picking up the phone for the next call, take a few minutes to relax. Get things in perspective. Keep in mind that you can not make them pay you, so getting aggressive or having a punitive tone will not allow for success. We teach our students to charm the cash out of them and not to berate it out of them.

Tip #4: Address the patient by name throughout the conversation. This shows respect on your part and demands attention from them.

Tip #5: Make the debtor right, even when they are wrong. This does not mean agreeing with what they are saying, but rather validating it. When given a ridiculous complaint, learn to say, “I can understand why you feel that way or I can certainly see how something like that might happen”. This is a way to avoid a negative dialogue and helps maintain open lines of communication.

Understanding their point of view, even as you share yours, will disarm the patients defensiveness.

Tip #6: Stay focused. Some patients will try to get you off track by complaining about their service, or somehow shifting the blame to you for their delinquency. Be polite, but always bring them right back to the point of your call.

Tip #7: Do not be manipulated. A screaming patient could be using their adult temper tantrum as a ploy to get you upset and end the conversation. At the very least, you are not going to get anywhere with someone who is mad. If a patient starts yelling, stay calm and do not interrupt. If you interrupt them more than likely they will rewind like a tape recorder and you will have the pleasure of listening to them twice. Try reminding them that you cannot help resolve the situation if they are yelling. If that does not work, you might say something like, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT A GOOD TIME FOR YOU. WHEN CAN I CALL YOU BACK? If they are abusing and are using obscene language, hang up and proceed to the next step in your collection system.

Tip #8: Get a commitment. A call that does not result in a commitment from the patient is a wasted call. Make sure you control the call. Do not ask, when can you get back to me on this? Rather say, “Will you be calling me by Wednesday?” Do not hang up the phone without summarizing with the patient the results of the call. What was their commitment? What are your expectations and what will be the result if they are not met? Emphasize the urgency of the matter. It is easy for the patient to forget your call as soon as they put down the receiver, especially if they do not think you were really concerned about the outcome.

Tip #9: Review your collection system and your state laws. Most of our practices discover that 85% of the patients who owe them money pay on time. If your account receivables have less than 85% in the zero to thirty categories you will want to review your collection agreement.

Tip #10: Statements with notes on them do not work! Many offices resort to placing red stickers on statements or sending letters vs. placing a phone call. This is not only expensive but ineffective.
We all want our practices to be very patient centered. So your collection calls are actually a wonderful way of enhancing or putting boundaries on a relationship. Remember, that these contacts should not be unpleasant for you or your patient. Good luck!

(c) 2009
Cathy Warschaw, Director
Warschaw Learning Institute
http://www.WarschawLearningInstitute.com
Dental Office Management Online Courses
(888) 822-0917

[tags]dental, dental jobs, medical, customer service, problem patients, dental office managers[/tags]

Conflict in the workplace, assuming it is an actual pitched battle between employees - fights on the loading dock for instance, or between supervisors who start malicious rumors about one another, is easy to see. Even so the dollar cost of such obvious conflict is rarely measured.

Other, much more subtle forms of conflict in workplace, such as intimidation or bullying are never measured. Not only does this sort of conduct often become “he said - he said” with the taking of sides the only result, it is usually not seen by management as conflict in the traditional sense, so not attempt to resolve it takes place.

The powers that be wait patiently on the sidelines until it all blows over or until there is some other reason to step in and make a personnel decision. Workplace conflict resolution is applied, and applied sparingly I might add, often as a last resort - when it should have been the very first step.

No matter if your workplace looks like WWI, with everyone dug in to their own trenches firing volley’s across a wasteland of desks, cubicles, warehouses, and fields, or if everyone is so polite to each other it’s disgusting - while sniping behind their backs, one thing is clear. The behavior is wasting time, everyone’s time, and time is money after all.

Since it’s often impossible to tell how much or how little is going on inside someone’s head, maybe your people are simply conflicted about their relationship at home. and that has caused them to ’shut down’ - they look productive, but nothing is happening. The bottom line results are the same - they are wasting their time on the job and your money.

I am no accountant so ask yours how much actual money is erased directly from your organization’s bottom line when two employees can’t or won’t work together cooperatively. There is the money you were paying them at the time they were not productive, that’s a given.

What about the money you lose because the people who report to them can’t complete their tasks because they have not received the results these two individuals are squabbling over. There are also all the indirect costs that account for another 30% of payroll or more. Then imagine a couple of these ongoing conflicts taking place somewhere with someone all the time.

As tough as business is right now I am amazed that you have not picked up on this and that your employees are not doing everything possible to work together effectively. I am flabbergasted by some of the stories I hear, people just unwilling to work together while their company is struggling to survive. And how supervisors and business owners are doing nothing to measure the actual cost of wasted time.

Be sure to tell your accountant that when calculating the organizational cost of wasted time, that they should be conservative with their estimates. A cost of conflict calculator will consider all the variables you input in order to generate its results. If they’re not very conservative - their results will be so large as to be mind-blowing, and if you try to present them to your Board or your employees you will lose credibility. No one will believe the numbers.

When the numbers look too big your employees will either discount them as not being possible, just your accountant over reacting to the way things always are around here or they seem too big to actually do anything about. When that happens, getting buy-in for whatever corrective action you might want to take becomes even more difficult.

When it come to the real financial cost of wasted time in the workplace, it s an eye opening experience when you or your accountant measures it for the first time.

Successful leaders understand that a key ingredient of success is the development and maintenance of shared goals for the organization’s future. “Managing Differences” is a practical guide for reducing the cost of conflict in workplace. If you want to reduce the cost of unresolved workplace conflict and develop , workplace conflict resolution strategies, go to click on the book cover and listen to the 1st Chapter free via streaming audio.

[tags]conflict in workplace, workplace conflict resolution, business conflict, cost of conflict[/tags]

Good communication is important in all areas of life, but it’s especially crucial for an entrepreneur. My goal for this book report is to distill the information I found most useful, and leave you with strategies that you can utilize immediately.

In her newly updated book, Sonya Hamlin begins by reminding us to consider the listener/s very carefully before any important meeting or public presentation.

First, consider the listeners’ generation and background, as this affects their perceptions and thinking significantly. Of course, there are some gross generalization going on here, so I’d consider each person or group individually, while keeping generational and background differences in mind.

Next, Ms. Hamlin urges us to make a “pre-think” chart, before any important meeting, speech or presentation. Because we’re generally programmed for our own interests and survival, taking time to examine our own, goals, emotions and expectations; as well as our listener’s, will help create win-win situations.

A Pre-think Chart Will:

1. Give you a basic framework for collecting your thoughts in a predictable, orderly fashion
2. Organize your insights so that you can figure out what and how you should communicate
3. Help you understand what to expect and why
4. Reveal how the other side’s issues compare with your own
5. Lead you to productive techniques and answers

To Create the Chart:

1. Ask yourself: “What do I want to happen in this meeting?” and make an honest list of all of your goals.
2. Based on what you know about your audience (or what you know about human nature and people’s needs and goals), project yourself into his/her/their position. Perhaps you know the person/people you will be speaking to, and have a sense of their goals or desires. Whether you do or not, list all the goals your audience might have.
3. Emotions affect everything we do, yet we don’t often consciously look inside ourselves to find out how we really feel about things. What we say and do springs as much from that hidden subjective place of needs and feelings, as from our more objective goals. Ignoring or denying our feelings can make us behave irrationally, and not in our own best interest. Become clear on, and write out your emotions about your upcoming encounter.
4. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes and list their probable emotions as well. Being empathetic to them in this way, may give you a new perspective on what to say and how to say it.
5. Past experience has given us a certain ability to foresee and predict. Listing your expectations helps you to judge whether you’re on track with what you want to say, alerts you of your own attitude, and allows you to adjust it. Often negative expectations inhibit our ability to facilitate a desired outcome in our encounters, so being conscious of these will help you to more consciously plan you want to say.
6. Listing your listeners’ expectations can help you to avoid being too predictable and boring. Now you can use the element of surprise to get their attention, energize the meeting, and elicit a more honest reaction.

Address Anger, Hostility, or Other Negative Reactions

Because dealing with anger or hostility is unpleasant, we tend to pretend it’s not there, and not address it. Or sometimes we get defensive, or feel like it’s our fault. The problem is exacerbated, and our chance of reaching our desired outcome is diminished.

Instead, the author recommends: “When you see it, deal with it. Say it’s there”. Usually this will help the other person recognize what’s happening, and start explaining the reason behind it. It will be much easier to proceed after clearing the air.

Closure

1. Recap and clarify what you spoke about or agreed on.
2. After a meeting, follow up in writing. Send an email detailing what you’d agreed on, what should happen next, who will do what, dates and times, and when you’ll follow up with each other.
3. End on a high note. The final exit lines will affect how the other person/people remember the meeting or presentation.

I found the above information and advice from How to Talk so People Will Listen, to be relevant to my day to day business communication. I hope they are helpful for you as well!

Emilie Nottle is a graphic/web designer, online strategist, and principal at Zooop Design - a full service graphic and web design firm. If you’re ready to make the most of your online presence, automate your marketing efforts, and grow your biz, subscribe to her monthly eZine here.

[tags]effective communication, negotiation, presentation, listening, speaking, strategy[/tags]

Here is some of the best advice for getting ready and managing a negotiation. We make sure people practice these in our workshops.

Excellent negotiators are able to identify a wide variety of options to meet the interests of both parties. (Lewicki, 1993) “The more options that are generated, the greater the chances that one of them will effectively reconcile the differing interests of the parties.” (Fisher and Ertel, 1995)

Good negotiators present possible options to the other side to test their value in meeting both parties’ needs (e.g. “I could lengthen the contract, would that be valuable to you? What would I need to offer you to get a more flexible billing arrangement?”) (Karass, 1970) The important point here is to offer something that really helps the other side, the more options that you can create, the more the other side will see you as someone who can help solve their problem and resolve the issues successfully

Agreement

Successful negotiators do not rush to agreement. They explore any unclear areas in the agreement or any reluctance by the other party. (Rackham, 1976)

Good agreements are very specific. As Lewicki observes, “it is strongly recommended the parties attempt to write down the exact language of the solution and a plan for implementation. It is usually when the parties attempt to draft the exact language that hidden misunderstandings, ambiguities and unclarities rise to the surface. It is at this stage…that some experts recommend a ‘one-text procedure’. In this procedure, one negotiator attempts to write down the exact language and wording of the agreement. The agreement is then passed between the parties until all parties agree…” (Lewicki, 1993.

People often attend a negotiation meeting and reach some sort of agreement only to find out later that both parties have misunderstood the agreement. When this happens it’s very difficult to reengage because some trust is lost and must be re-built slowly.

Writing down what you believe the agreement to be is best done in the meeting while all parties can look it over and ask any questions to clarify. Then make a copy for all parties involved. Now you have an agreement that is more likely to stand the test of time.

Ury observes, “If you hurry your opponent at this stage, he will often react by exploding over something trivial or by suddenly finding fault with some part of the agreement. In order not to lose him, you need to slow down, back off and give him a chance to think…When you have reached agreement, take a moment to sum up: ‘Let’s make sure we both have the same understanding of what we have agreed on.’ Then go over the issue carefully. If possible, set down your agreement in writing. (Ury, 1991)

Follow these tips and others to become the best negotiator that you can be.

Alan Vengel is a consultant in management training and organizational development and author of The Influence Edge - How to Persuade Others to Help You Achieve Your Goals. He offers cutting edge training and skill building workshops on influence and negotiation.
alan@vengelconsulting.com
http://www.vengelconsulting.com.

[tags]negotiation advice, best agreements, successful negotiation, writing agreements[/tags]

The level of cooperation is the degree to which you are willing to work with the other party. Your level of trust and power will determine cooperativeness. The more cooperative each party is, the greater the collaboration. Less cooperation leads to a more competitive style of negotiations.

One of the most important behaviors that great negotiators use is “finding common ground”. They plan for common ground statements before the negotiation and then use common ground phrases to set a postive tone to the meeting: “We really have alot to gain by working together on these issues” - “I’m sure we can resolve these issues and create something that works for both of us.”

Everything you do regarding trust, power and level of cooperation will have an impact on the relationship. If the relationship is important to you in the long term, try these 3 ways to build more cooperation and collaboration:

1. Be more supportive; verbally let the other side know that you are there to reach an agreement that is good for everyone involved. Let them know that you have a positive vision for the future “I can see us working together for a long time.”

2. Be more open; be willing to disclose information if it’s appropriate. What do you really think and what do you really need out of this meeting? Be willing to listen to the other side completely and check for understanding. “So, it seems you want this report every month on the last Friday of the month.” “How can we make this easier for both of us?”

3. Be willing to consider a wider range of options; the more ways you create that can meet your own needs as well as the other side, will signal flexibility. This flexibility leads to a more creative meeting and a more satisfying agreement.

You may need to “open high” with your position simply because it meets a business objective; however, you would want to justify this with the other side, by letting them know your situation in an honest and sincere way. You’ll be softening the tough position that you must take.

“Our asking price is the full list price. Since we only have two left, we have very little room to bargain.”

“Due to our production schedules, we have a very tight turn around. For us to complete your request on time, I must have your final copy in ten days. I know this will be difficult for you, but we just don’t have any leeway at this time.”

TIP: Although power will determine how you state and work with positions, trust is the ultimate factor in determining how cooperative or competitive you behave in negotiations.

Alan Vengel is a consultant in management training and organizational development and author of The Influence Edge - How to Persuade Others to Help You Achieve Your Goals. He offers cutting edge training and skill building workshops on influence and negotiation.
alan@vengelconsulting.comhttp://www.vengelconsulting.com.

[tags]negotiation, building cooperation, trust in negotiation, developing collaboration, common ground[/tags]

By following these 4 steps you will be doing more than most people ever do to control a negotiation.

1. Determine your position. What will you ask for specifically? Be careful not to over ask, you’ll look like you are trying to take advantage of the other side and that may destroy truth and future relationship. Your position is the ideal solution from your point of view for resolution of the issue. This is where you begin the negotiations.

2. Identify your needs and currencies. Currencies are what you will exchange with the other side and what they will offer you.

Your needs answer the question, Why am I involved in this negotiation? What will this do for me? Are there other ways I can get my needs met? Are there other people I can negotiate with that can help me meet my needs? Try to have a plan “B” if things don’t work out well in the meeting.

Currencies are your negotiables. What do you have that will satisfy the other party’s needs? Currencies can take the form of resources, money, time, data, connects, help, etc.

3. Anticipate the other party’s needs and currencies. Determine what the other party needs. Why are they negotiating with you? The more ways you can determine that the other side needs you, the more power you will have in the negotiation.

What do they have to exchange, that would satisfy your needs? Think about all that they might do for you, be creative.

4. Know how to react, don’t let yourself show surprise. Always show interest in the other opening position even if it seems outrageous. They may be totally sincere and you want to maintain mutual respect.

When someone presents you with a position; what they are asking for in the beginning of the negotiation, always consider: What does this do for them? Ask why? And, explore what they want completely. Get as much information about their thinking and reasoning as possible. This will help you to build a good agreement later in the negotiation.

By asking questions, you are also, uncovering real needs. Sometimes the other side does not even know their real needs and this line of questioning will help uncover other possibilities that might be easier for you to offer them.

Never argue positions; this will just serve to make the other side more defensive and help move the talks away from the real issues into an argument. Arguing is not negotiation, it is debating.

Instead use more questions to have them justify their position: What leads you to ask for this? What does this do for you if you get it?

Apply the same questions to your position; make sure you understand your own real needs and interests. This will help you to recognize a good deal when it is presented to you.

TIP: The critical distinguishing factor that sets apart successful negotiators from others is the amount of time and thought that is spent in planning.

Alan Vengel is a consultant in management training and organizational development and author of The Influence Edge - How to Persuade Others to Help You Achieve Your Goals. He offers cutting edge training and skill building workshops on influence and negotiation.
alan@vengelconsulting.com
http://www.vengelconsulting.com.

[tags]negotiation control, negotiation planning, negotiating needs, negotiating currencies[/tags]

First, in the beginning, negotiators always focus on the relationship, realizing that even if they cannot reach agreement in this specific meeting, there will always be future opportunities. They prepare and plan for a positive environment, how will they manage the conflict, who is in the room and how can they show respect to each person in the meeting.

Common ground is a key behavior that great negotiators know can overcome conflicting issues and build trust into the process. People like to deal with others when they feel they have something in common.

Good negotiators seek to create a positive working climate with the other party. “A critical element in any negotiation - and one that frequently causes the most anxiety - is the quality of the working relationship we have with the other party. A good working relationship enables us to handle our differences efficiently.” (Fisher and Ertel, 1995)

A clear agenda needs to be created including date, time, issues to be covered, etc. as well as the names of all negotiators. This agenda should be created in consultation with the other party. (Fuller, 1991) They want to make sure that everyone has a voice in the meeting who wants one.

Effective negotiators take much more time discussing areas of common interest and the attractiveness of reaching agreement than poorer negotiators. (Pruit and Rubin,)

Secondly, great negotiators always know what they want and are willing to ask for it. They use assertive language that shows clarity and purpose. “Here is what we want…”This is what we are looking for…My suggestion is that we do it like this.”

Effective negotiators state a clear opening need and stick to it until they sense the other party clearly understands it.

And thirdly, great negotiators ask more questions. Researchers tell us that they ask three times more questions than ordinary negotiators.

Good negotiators ask “problem-solving questions” to understand the other’s position and underlying needs (Ury, 1991) and look for possible ways to reach agreement. ” There will almost certainly be some shared interests on which it may be possible to build. There will also almost certainly be features of the conflict where we can satisfy some interest of the other side without causing damage to any significant interest of our own.” (Fisher, Kopelman, Schneider, 1994)

After they ask these questions they display by listening and paraphrasing skills to check understanding. Successful negotiators more frequently paraphrase and check for understanding than the average negotiators. They also ask significantly more questions. (Rackham, 1976)

Follow these 3 tips and not only will you be a better negotiator but you will build your reputation as someone who is great to negotiate with, strong, clear and respectful.

Alan Vengel is a consultant in management training and organizational development and author of The Influence Edge - How to Persuade Others to Help You Achieve Your Goals. He offers cutting edge training and skill building workshops on influence and negotiation.
alan@vengelconsulting.com
http://www.vengelconsulting.com.

[tags]negotiator skills, relationship focus, negotiation questions, great negotiator, common ground[/tags]